title: Choroidal thickness changes after intravitreal ranibizumab and photodynamic therapy in recurrent polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate subfoveal choroidal thickness changes in cases with recurrent polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) after combination therapy with intravitreal ranibizumab and photodynamic therapy (PDT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational case series study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured subfoveal choroidal thickness in PCV using optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and after PDT. In recurrent cases, the choroidal thickness was measured at the time of the recurrence. In nonrecurrent cases, choroidal thickness was measured 1 year after PDT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Combination therapy was performed in 27 eyes (27 patients). Polypoidal lesions regressed within 3 months after initial treatment in all eyes. Retreatment was needed in 10 of 27 eyes (37.0%) after more than 3 months of follow-up. In recurrent cases, subfoveal choroid decreased from 188 μm at baseline to 157 μm 3 months after PDT (P < .01); however, choroidal thickness increased to 179 μm with recurrence (P = .54 compared to baseline; average, 8.0 months). In nonrecurrent cases, subfoveal choroid decreased from 257 μm at baseline to 210 μm 3 months after PDT and 212 μm 1 year after PDT (P < .01, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subfoveal choroidal thickness in PCV at the time of recurrence returned to the baseline level after choroidal thinning as a result of PDT treatment. Choroidal thickness changes after PDT examined using OCT may reflect disease activity in PCV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan. Electronic address: imaruko@fmu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maruko
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan; Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oyamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugano
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ojima
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuju
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sekiryu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology*; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D009929:Organ Size; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D004396:Coloring Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D000069579:Ranibizumab